Uncovering the Secrets of a Successful Pest

The green peach aphid can colonize new host plants with ease through rapid changes in gene expression.

Written byDiana Kwon

| 4 min read

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ANDREW DAVIS, JOHN INNES CENTRE

Aphids are some of nature’s most notorious pests. These tiny, sap-sucking insects munch on farmers’ crops, which causes physical damage and transmits pathogens that often render plants unsuitable for human consumption.

While most aphids are only able to colonize one or a few plant species, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) isn’t picky about its food. The polyphagous, or generalist, pest can feed on more than 100 species from around 40 different plant families. “Polyphagous insects always have a host somewhere, so they can keep going and can become massive pests,” says Saskia Hogenhout, a project leader in plant-biotic interactions at the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom.

Green peach aphids are not the only polyphagous pests—others include spider mites and locusts. However, unlike ...

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Meet the Author

Diana Kwon
Diana is a freelance science journalist who covers the life sciences, health, and academic life. She’s a regular contributor to The Scientist and her work has appeared in several other publications, including Scientific American, Knowable, and Quanta. Diana was a former intern at The Scientist and she holds a master’s degree in neuroscience from McGill University. She’s currently based in Berlin, Germany.
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